Reading 2

Bikey 31,79

Birmingham 1

Zarate 64

Reading 2 Birmingham 1 March 22 2008

Andre Bikey struck twice to give Reading a 2-1 win over Birmingham in Saturday's Premier League relegation tussle at the Madejski Stadium.

After Stephen Hunt had rattled the crossbar, the opener came on 31 minutes. The Irishman chased a lost cause in the left corner and won a free-kick which John Oster floated into the box.

Blues' defence was all at sea and Bikey was able to slip through unnoticed and thump the ball home with a header.

However, City hit back against the run of play through Mauro Zarate in the 64th minute. Mikael Forssell outmuscled Ivar Ingimarsson on the left, then threaded the ball to Zarate, who made no mistake from point-blank range.

But the visitors' hopes of claiming with a lucky point were dashed when Cameroon defender Bikey nodded home the winner from a Nicky Shorey free-kick in the 79th minute.